October 2024 - Executive Director’s Report to MABA Members
There is an African proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” And although its origins have been analyzed and studied, its meaning is clear, and it is at the heart of my message to the board and the members this month. I’ll share herein the wealth of activities and initiatives taking place in the MABA committees and leadership, and the great momentum they are building to push further into our collective biosolids future and path ahead.
The Communications Committee has led the way to organize a National Biosolids Communication Workgroup consisting of multiple regional biosolids organizations across the country to develop the National Communication Guidance: PFAS and Biosolids Management communication document to share with their respective members to assist with their communications about PFAS & Biosolids.
Additionally, the Communications committee has created a MABA Member Communications survey to get feedback from the members about the communication efforts and help develop their next steps for the year ahead. They are also working to create new and revised FAQ and fact sheet documents for the MABA members on the website, and have so far created “What are biosolids?” and “Information for farmers about PFAS in biosolids”. The Committee will also be introducing “MABA Merch” in the months ahead, for members to have a chance to purchase clothing and other products with the MABA and MABF logos.
The MABA Membership Committee has worked diligently to reach out to current public utility members to touch base, and learn more about their experiences with and services needed from MABA. They’ve also brought on board 4 new public utility members and 3 new sponsors. They have worked to offer reduced membership fees as an incentive to bring new members on board, and are requesting the members’ assistance in identifying additional potential members with the Public Utility Leads survey.
MABA’s Reg/Leg Committee has stayed abreast of many developments across the region, as well as nationally, to keep MABA’s leadership and members aware of the updates and information available from a regulatory and legislative perspective. Recently, information gathered has resulted in the creation of a letter in support of legislation in Pennsylvania to ban PFAS in some consumer products. Additionally, the committee has worked to remain updated on regulations and execution of new regulations in New York and recently in Maryland. Stay tuned for a full Reg/Leg email update in the weeks ahead.
The MABA Programming Committee hosted an incredibly successful 2024 Summer Symposium in Richmond, Virginia in July, resulting in additional net revenue for the organization while providing rich education and networking opportunities for the members in the region. They are charging ahead with the September 24 webinar, Biosolids End Use Success Stories, and the Communications Committee is working with them to further share these success stories through the October 23 webinar with the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association. Another webinar is planned for November, as well as the opening of the Call for Abstracts for the 2025 Summer Symposium, taking place in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in July.
And finally, I continue to deliver presentations to different groups to provide a comprehensive update on PFAS and Biosolids, from a regulatory, legislative and research perspective. Recently, I presented at the Society of Women Environmental Professional’s PFAS Seminar at Eurofins Laboratories in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and at Tri-Con, in Ocean City, Maryland, as well as the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association annual conference in September, in Hershey, Pennsylvania. And I will be presenting at the NJWEA Technology Transfer Seminar in October, in Eatontown, New Jersey. I provided the same session via webinar to the Environmental Finance Center Network (EFCN) on October 1, and will provide it again for the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association (PMAA) on November 6. These speaking opportunities have afforded me the opportunity to share critical information and updates to the biosolids community and the communities we serve, and spread the word about MABA and MABF.
In NPR’s analysis of the aforementioned African proverb, they spoke to Neal Lester, a humanities professor at Arizona State University who specializes in African-American literary studies. Lester stated, “The Africanist perspective is more about community, it's more about collaboration. It's less about what we can do individually." And this essence of the meaning of the proverb is in line with this message to the MABA board and members, the region’s biosolids community. There is an incredible amount of energy and work taking place in the MABA community and the biosolids community in our region right now, and I invite you to get on board and get involved to press forward, further, together.
If you are interested in learning more about MABA and MABF, or setting up some time to talk or get together, please reach out to me at [email protected] or 845-901-7905. |
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Biosolids NewsClips - December 2, 2024
NewsClips is filled with articles from around the region and the world. This edition includes some positive articles, including an article from WSSC Water where they unveiled a biosolids-to-energy facility that promises to produce enough natural gas from digested biosolids to power a fleet of RideOn buses in Montgomery County. Stay tuned for the MABA December spotlight article coming soon that will share more about this!
Unfortunately, there are some less-than-positive articles in this edition, including recent articles regarding concerns about PFAS, and the implication of potential contamination from the land application of biosolids. MABA, together with six biosolids organizations across the country, worked to create the National Communication Guidance: PFAS and Biosolids Management document. This resource is intended to help our members in the face of such articles, and in their work and communications within the communities they serve.
The monthly newsclips are brought to you by the MABA Communications Committee, and they are looking for MABA members who are interested in learning more about their work for the biosolids sector. Please reach out to Mary Baker if you are interested in checking out an upcoming Communications Committee meeting.
Stay tuned for more information from MABA. If you have biosolids news to share, please reach out to Mary Baker at 845-901-7905 or [email protected].
Biosolids News
as of November 25, 2024
MABA Region
Researchers discover astonishing potential of microbes living in sewage sludge: 'Could help reduce plastic pollution'
Washington, DC (29 Oct 2024) - Researchers have discovered an enzyme hiding a secret of the best possible kind: It appears to break apart microplastics lurking in our sewers, offering a natural wastewater treatment — if it can be harnessed at scale — that could prevent the toxic particles from being reintroduced into our environment. According to the release, the team used the microbe Comamonas testosteroni — already known for its ability to degrade polymers — to see if the enzymes it produces could break down polyethylene terephthalate, the type of plastic frequently used to make single-use water bottles, containers, and clothing with synthetic fibers.
Western Schuylkill facilities subject to DEP public meeting
Tremont, PA (28 Oct 2024) - Several facilities subject to controversy, many accused of causing a literal stink on the west end of the county will be the focus of a public meeting in November. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is holding a public meeting at the Tremont Borough Building on Nov. 14 from 6pm to 9pm focusing on operations at Natural Soil Products, Liberty Soils, Summit Anthracite (Stavola), Rausch Creek and CES Landfill.
'Poop into Power' | WSSC Water unveils facility to produce natural gas from waste
Piscataway, MD (30 Oct 2024) - WSSC Water unveiled a $271 million biosolids-to-energy facility Wednesday that promises to produce enough natural gas from digested biosolids to power a fleet of RideOn buses in Montgomery County, authorities said as they showed off the new plant. Informally, WSSC Water refers to the process as "poop to power." Sludge recovered from six WSSC Water treatment facilities serving 1.9 million people will be transported to the Piscataway Bioenergy Facility for processing using advanced processing technologies to capture natural gas and produce Class A Exceptional Quality biosolids that can be used by local farmers as a soil amendment or fertilizer, according Maryland's largest water/wastewater utility.
WSSC Water unveils $271 million Piscataway Bioenergy Facility
Lawsuit Targets Scotts Miracle-Gro for Claiming PFAS-Tainted Products Are “Eco-Friendly” and “Sustainable”
Washington, DC (30 Oct 2024) - Beyond Pesticides has filed suit against The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company and GreenTechnologies, LLC for allegedly misleading consumers on the hazardous nature of their fertilizer products, which contain detectable levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The fertilizer products produced by Scotts Miracle-Gro Company also use Class A biosolids in several of their blends which are a known source of PFAS compounds. The group filed two cases, Beyond Pesticides v. Miracle-Gro Co. and Beyond Pesticides v. GreenTechnologies, LLC, in D.C. Superior Court on October 25, 2024. The complaint alleges that, as part of their marketing, these companies tell consumers that their fertilizers are “eco-friendly” and “sustainable,” when, in fact, the products contain hazardous substances.
Rensselaer rallies against proposed sludge incinerator
Rensselaer, NY (9 Nov 2024) - Without a warning... The city of Rensselaer could be getting a sludge incineration plant on the banks of the Hudson River. This shocked the community, its local leaders, and environmentalists. Harbor Rock, a waste company based in New Jersey, is proposing to put a sludge incinerator in Rensselaer along the banks of the Hudson River. Residents, community leaders, and local environmentalists are speaking out because they say they already have enough dumping going on.
National Biosolids Land Applier to Pay $610,000 for Overapplication
Washington, DC (12 Nov 2024) - Today, November 12, 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency announced a settlement agreement with Denali Water Solutions, LLC, of Russellville, Arkansas, for alleged Clean Water Act violations related to the overapplication of sewage sludge, also known as biosolids on land in Arizona and California. Under the settlement agreement, Denali will pay a $610,000 civil penalty. Additionally, the company is required to follow strict application requirements if they resume land application in these two states within the next five years.
DEC rejects Saratoga Biochar's plan for sludge plant in Moreau
Moreau, NY (13 Nov 2024) - The state Department of Environmental Conservation denied a bid for air and solid waste management permits from Saratoga Biochar Solutions, rejecting the company’s proposal for a wastewater processing facility incorporating the pyrolysis process to treat sewage sludge, producing a Class A biosolids-based biochar product. The DEC has stated that the facility would be a new source of greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants within a mile of a disadvantaged community.
USGS PFAS study looks at which tissues are in ‘forever chemicals’
Williamsport, PA (19 Nov 2024) - U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Fishery Biologist Vicki Blazer recently published an extensive study on PFAS in fish collected from nine sites, including five within the Susquehanna watershed, that show where these “forever chemicals” tend to congregate in a fish’s tissues and may shed more light on additional sources for PFAS contamination. The study also looked at land use around the waterways where fish were collected as potential sources for PFAS contamination were factored into levels found in the fish.
Nationally
Deer and wild turkey contaminated with PFAS? What you need to know
Portland, ME (29 Oct 2024) - An advisory against eating meat from certain parts of the state is the latest consequence of Maine's history of spreading sewage sludge for fertilizer. The sludge has since been found to be high in harmful forever chemicals. With its most popular hunting season starting Saturday, Maine has expanded a “do not eat” advisory zone for deer and turkey bagged in central Maine due to elevated levels of harmful toxic chemicals detected in recent wildlife testing.
Farmers threaten lawsuit against state over 'disgusting' agricultural practice: 'It's horrid'
Bend, OR (3 Nov 2024) - What comes to mind when you hear the word "sludge"? For Missouri farmer Donald Craig, it's the toxic industrial waste that meatpacking companies are spreading across local farm fields, offering it up as free fertilizer. Along with other farmers in Randolph County and two environmental advocacy groups, Craig has declared his intent to sue these "sludge" companies if they do not stop. The groups cited odor complaints and danger to the public and the environment, the Missouri Independent reported.
Warrenton soliciting bids for improvements to wastewater treatment plant
Warrenton, MO (30 Oct 2024) - The city of Warrenton is soliciting bids for an expansion to its wastewater treatment plant. The project would expand the plant’s capacity from 3.2 million gallons a day (MGD) to four MGD. It also includes upgrades to several other systems at the plant to increase efficiency. “The biggest reason for that is obviously, Warrenton is growing, and we’re trying to stay ahead of the growth to not run out of sewer capacity,” said Director of Operations Jon Struckhoff.
Local rancher seeks answers on biosolids after Johnson County investigation
Decatur, TX (30 Oct 2024) - Wise County has a history with biosolids. Several city councils have fought where they are applied, with previous opposition at the county level, despite their limited control on the issue. The unpleasant odor has generally been at the center of the debate, with the stench at times wafting over a large area, affecting not just neighbors, but visitors shopping in town and children waiting on the bus to go to school.
On Monday, reports out of Johnson County became a topic of conversation for Wise County Commissioners as the court considered a resolution on language rules for labeled biosolids.
Ranchers seek to clear air on biosolids
How local agencies are studying sewage to prevent disease outbreaks
Las Vegas, NV (31 Oct 2024) - The Clark County Water Reclamation District (CCWRD) stands as one of the county's first lines of defense against disease outbreaks. The government agency collects and treats more than 110 million gallons of wastewater daily before sending it to Lake Mead. Fischer said regular wastewater testing is important to understanding the community's health. Wastewater can be an early indicator of disease, and lab tests can discern disease outbreaks about a week before they happen, he continued.
Chief operator: Mingo wastewater plant ‘one of the best’
Mingo Junction, OH (2 Nov 2024) - Most individuals pay no mind to the water they’ve used after it runs down the sink drain. Yet for employees at the Mingo Junction Wastewater Facility, how that water is treated before it re-enters the Earth is critical. Like other wastewater treatment facilities, the plant’s job is to collect wastewater — including storm water and raw sewage — and process it into clear water that’s suitable for discharge into the environment.
Maine CDC Advances Understanding of PFAS in Crops Grown for Livestock Feed
Augusta, ME (6 Nov 2024) - The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) recently published important new data in the scientific Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. The research comes from a study on the movement of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from soil into grass-based forages grown for livestock feed on contaminated land from the land application of wastewater sludge.
Mechanical problem at Newport wastewater treatment plant causes odor
Newport, NH (7 Nov 2024) - An unpleasant odor drifting from Newport’s wastewater treatment facility that permeated throughout the downtown earlier this week and closed the middle/high school Thursday is beginning to dissipate. The smell stems from hydrogen sulfide in the facility’s two lagoons, which are used to treat sewage from the Newport’s roughly 1,100 users, Newport Town Manager Kyle Harris said in a phone interview Thursday.
Montpelier Delays Costly PFAS Solution for Wastewater Plant
Montpelier, VT (7 Nov 2024) - The city of Montpelier has shelved an ambitious but expensive plan to upgrade its wastewater treatment plant with technology that would remove hazardous “forever” chemicals from its sewage sludge. Faced with cost estimates that jumped from $16.4 million to $32.4 million, the city council on Oct. 23 opted to proceed with just the preliminary phase of the project. This option allows the public works department to install equipment to dry the sludge, reduce odors at the plant, and to make other improvements.
Webster, Hopkinton to share $4.1 million cost for septic sludge cleanup
Hopkinton, NH (10 Nov 2024) - The Hopkinton transfer station is facing a $3.6 million cleanup after sludge that accumulated over the years in its septic lagoons was found to contain harmful “forever” chemicals. Capping the contaminated site to prevent further environmental damage is now a costly but necessary project for the town.
Since both Hopkinton and Webster use the transfer station, the two towns will split the costs, with Hopkinton covering 75% and Webster contributing 25%.David Hemenway, Webster’s select board chair, expressed concern about Webster’s portion of the project funding.
Georgia judge lets ‘forever chemical’ lawsuits over wastewater sludge advance
Atlanta, GA (12 Nov 2024) - North Georgia landowners who say their properties were contaminated with toxic “forever chemicals” can continue pursuing claims against the city of Calhoun and manufacturers after a judge declined to throw out the cases. The residents say their land was polluted by biosolids produced at Calhoun’s wastewater treatment plants that the city land applied on or near their properties. In one case, a property owner says they allowed more than 28,000 tons of biosolids to be deposited on their land as fertilizer before learning of the contamination.
About 19% of Oregonians at risk for PFAS groundwater contamination
Portland, OR (16 Nov 2024) - A long list of polluters can contaminate surrounding water sources with PFAS. The four major sources are firefighter training sites, industrial sites, landfills and wastewater treatment plants or their resulting biosolids. The chemicals can travel through waterways or rain clouds. They seep into the ground, infiltrating aquifers — layers of rock and sand saturated in water — that public and private wells tap into.
KY farmers should think twice about using ‘biosludge’ as fertilizer
St. Paul, MN (18 Nov 2024) - Kentucky farmers are using biosolids from the City’s wastewater treatment plants as cheap fertilizer but there are concerns for public health, from toxic industrial chemicals known as PFAS and heavy metals contaminating produce, groundwater and soil. Kentucky lawmakers have passed regulations experts said weaken protections for biosolids application on farmland.
Husker scientists tackle forever chemicals while City of Grand Island may sue companies
Grand Island, NE (18 Nov 2024) - Your drinking water may be contaminated with forever chemicals. Husker scientists look for solutions while city utilities may file suit as officials take different strategies with the shared goal of safer water.You turn on the tap and take a drink without thought but that water may contain so-called forever chemicals according to Nirupam Aich, the McNeel Associate Professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
Internationally
Biosolid storage facility wins tribunal decision despite opposition from township, neighbours
London, Ontario, Canada (1 Nov 2024) - Residents of a rural area southwest of Strathroy, Ont., are concerned about an Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) decision that clears the way for the construction of a storage facility for fertilizer pellets that contain dried human waste. LaSalle Agri has since 2018 planned to build a facility at 25700 Kerwood Rd. for the storage of up to 110,000 cubic metres of slow-release biosolid pellets. The property, currently vacant land zoned for agricultural and industrial use, is in the municipality of Adelaide Metcalfe.
JICA Initiates a New Technical Cooperation Project for Improvement of Fecal Sludge Management
Colombo, Sri Lanka (4 Nov 2024) - JICA is set to initiate a new technical cooperation project early next year to support Sri Lanka to improve fecal sludge management. Record of Discussion of this project was concluded between Mr. S. Alokabandara, Secretary to the Ministry of Justice, Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils, Local Government and Labour and Mr. YAMADA Tetsuya, Chief Representative of JICA Sri Lanka Office on 15th October 2024. Currently, Sri Lanka faces various challenges related to fecal sludge management. Due to limited fecal sludge treatment plants, gully bowser disposes sludge to the open environment, which leads to environmental degradation and threatens public health.
Residents of VAMBAY Settlement Struggle with Dire Sanitary Conditions in Hyderabad
Hyderabad, India (4 Nov 2024) - Hyderabad: Residents of the Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana (VAMBAY) settlement in Singareni Colony are grappling with poor sanitary conditions, despite their repeated appeals to the govt for much-needed improvements. Built in 2005 and inaugurated in 2007, the 56 buildings were intended to provide safe housing and community toilets for urban slum dwellers. However, residents currently lack access to clean drinking water and a proper sewerage system.
Wastewater screening vital for MBR benefits
Victoria, Australia (4 Nov 2024) - Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) are increasingly being used for water, wastewater treatment, and recycling throughout Australia and New Zealand, responding to climate change, shortages of land, operational cost-effectiveness, and technology advances for water recycling. These factors, plus cost of operation and maintenance, are also driving the need to include fine screening of both MBRs, and conventional activated sludge treatments, to protect downstream equipment and processes, preventing blockages and equipment breakdowns, that end up breaching discharge conditions and pollution entering the environment.
Farmers threaten ‘sewage strike’ over inheritance tax raid
London, England (4 Nov 2024) - Farmers are threatening to stop spreading sludge on their land in protest at plans to impose inheritance tax on their estates. They are discussing plans for a co-ordinated “sewage strike” in a move that risks causing chaos for water treatment companies and creating a mountain of waste. Every year, farmers in the UK take about 3.6 million tonnes of sewage sludge from water treatment plants and spread it on agricultural land.
Rebel farmers threaten port and supermarket disruption
Winnipeg in deep water over sewage plant
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (18 Nov 2024) - Winnipeg is facing a “crisis moment” as its risk of running out of sewage capacity rises, Mayor Scott Gillingham says. The city has about four to six years of capacity left to process sewage sludge into biosolids, a key step in wastewater treatment, a new staff report notes. The long-awaited second phase of north end sewage treatment plant upgrades will create a new biosolids facility that can handle more material. The city, province and feds had a funding deal to complete that phase of the work for $553 million before the project’s price soared to $1.035 billion. |
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